Vary licence details or transfer licence

If you need to make a change to your existing liquor licence, select the relevant option below.

Applicants are advised to lodge liquor licence applications at least eight weeks in advance. The time taken to process an application will vary depending on a range of factors including the complexity of the application and any objections which may be raised.

Important note for applicants seeking to vary or transfer a licence:

When applying to vary or transfer your licence, the proposed changes cannot come into effect until an application is approved by the VCGLR.

Applicants receive an official grant letter and updated liquor licence, including conditions, from the VCGLR.

Applicants must read all correspondence carefully.

Significant penalties apply for trading while unlicensed or not in accordance with the licence conditions.

To transfer an existing licence or permit to a proposed licencee or permittee, complete the Transfer an existing liquor licence or permit online form. The online form simplifies and provides greater visibility of the overall process to all applicants and aims to reduce determination times. If you are unable to lodge online, you can use the PDF version (PDF, 1.62 MB).

Once you have registered an account, details of how to lodge your application are provided in the online portal. There is an application fee to transfer a liquor licence.

Vary a licence

Select an option below that best fits the variation you require to your existing liquor licence:

Vary licence detail

To make a change or to vary your existing liquor licence or permit, download the Variation to an existing licence or permit application kit. The kit contains all forms and related materials required to apply to change the hours of operation, area or size of the premises and general conditions of the licence or permit. There is an application fee to vary liquor licence details.

The procedure requires you to submit:

a completed and signed application form with the fee

planning permit or permission

four copies of red-line plan if changing the size or perimeter of the licensed area

See below for information about the application procedures to add a person or register an interested or relevant party to a liquor licence.

Endorse a name on a licence

If you're an executor, trustee, administrator, owner or mortgagee in possession of a licensed premises and wish to apply to have your name endorsed on the licence or permit, download the Endorsement of a name on a licence application kit (PDF, 665.06 KB). There is no fee for this application.

The procedure will require you to submit:

the completed application form

completed questionnaire

evidence of licensee training completed

evidence of eligibility or proof of ownership.

Add a director or nominee

To apply to add a new director or nominee to an existing liquor licence or permit, complete the application online via the applications portal. There is an application fee.

Permanent approval for underage patrons

To apply for a permanent authority to permit persons under the age of 18 years to be on the licensed premises other than in the company of a responsible adult, download the Permanent approval for underage patrons application kit (PDF, 199.39 KB). There is no fee for this application.

Fee waiver or reduction

In certain special circumstances the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation has the power to waive or reduce licence fees. For more information or to apply please visit the Waive or reduce licence fees page.

Exemption from mandatory free water

To apply for an exemption from the requirement to provide free drinking water at licensed premises, please visit the free water for patrons page.

An associate of a liquor licence applicant/licensee is a person who holds a financial interest, or can exercise any power in the selling of liquor by any business operated by the applicant/licensee. An associate can also be a relative who is involved in the operations and management of any business selling liquor operated by the applicant. A full description is defined in the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998.

Licensees/permittees must notify the Commission within 14 days if their associates have changed. For bodies corporate, this also includes associates of directors. This is an ongoing obligation for all current licensees/permittees and failure to do so may result in enforcement action by the VCGLR.